Supporting attachment for jacks



Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,295

- M. F. MOLAUGHLIN SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT JACKS Filed Dec. 25, 1927 INVENTOR.

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Patented 29, 1929.

ilNlTEi) MACK F. MCLAUGHLIN, OF EFFINGHAM, SOUTH CAROLINA.

SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT FOR JACKS.

Application filed December 23, 1927.

My invention relates to a supporting device or attachment, to be carried by the foot of a jack, used in spacing railway cross ties.

Railway cross ties are usually spaced by means of a jack. A rail engaging clamp is secured to the head of the rack bar of the jack, while the body or standard of the jack is placed upon a cross tie, with the foot of the jack engaging the next cross tie. In operating' a ack under these conditions, three men are required. One man supports and holds the foot of the jack in place upon the adj acentcross tie, a second man manipulates the rail engaging clam a, to feed the same forwardly when necessary and a third man operates the lever of the jack. If the foot of the jack is not held in place upon the adjacenttie, it will slip therefrom and the ack will fall from its operative position, resulting in the loss of time, and frequently injury to the jack and the rail engaging clamp.

In accordance with my invention, 1 provide a supporting device, preferably in the form of an attachment, which is mounted upon the bottom or foot of the standard of the ack. This supporting device is adapted to be arranged upon the top of the cross tie, while the foot of the jack projects downwardly below the top of the cross tie to engage the side of the cross tie. By the use of my supporting device or attachment, the workman ordinarily employed in holding the foot of the jack may be dispensed with, and the jack will remain in place, without liability of fall.- ing from the operative position. The attachment is adjustable and may be applied to jacks of various sizes, suitable for the particular work to be accomplished.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of supporting device or attachment embodying my invention, showing the same applied to a jack,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a. horizontal section taken on line 33 of Figure 1, and,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the supporting device or attachment.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodi ment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates the standard or body portion of a jack of any well known or preferred type, suit able for use in spacing milwa ties; tllids Serial No. 242,221.

able within the standard 5 is the usual rack bar 6, having a head 7. The rack bar is advanced by the usual pawl and ratchet means, operated by the levereocket 8. The standard 5 is provided upon its opposite sides with spaced longitudinal ribs 9, and with a foot 10.

The numeral 12 designates a rail engaging clamp, which may be of the construction shown in the patent granted to George V]. Williams, under date of October 14, 1924, No. 1,511,392. The invention is in no sense restricted to the use of this particular form of rail engaging clamp, as any other desired rail engaging clamp may be used. The head 7 of the rack-bar 6 fits within a recess 13, formed in the outer end of the clamp 12. v

My supporting device or attachment embodies a horizontal supporting member or plate 14, preferably formed of sheet metal. (l ne longitudinal edge of the plate 14 is bent upwardly, providing a vertical-flange 15, integral therewith. One end of this flange term nates flush with the end of the plate 14, while its opposite end is bent into a U-shaped jaw 16. Coacting with the jaw 16 is a companion lJ-shaped jaw 1?, carried by a strip or shank 18, engaging the outer side of the flange 15. The strip or shank 18 is provided with a longitudinal slot 19, receiving a clamping bolt 20, which is rigidly attached to the flange 15. This bolt carries a nut 21 and washer 22. It is thus seen that the aw 17 is adjustable horizontally toward and away from the aw 16.

In the use of the supporting device, or at tachment, the nut 21, is unscrewed, and the jaw 17 ma 1 be shifted away from the aw 16. The jaws 16 and 17 are now applied to the foot 10 of the standard 5, such jaws passing bet-ween the flanges 9. When the jaws are suitably adjusted to the inner position, the nut 21 is screwed up, and the attachment is securely held upon the foot 10. The plate 14 is disposed at a right angle to the foot 10, and the foot 10 projects downwardly below the plate 14, as shown in Figure 1. The foot 10 is, therefore, supported upon the tie, with-. out liability of dropping down from the same. The jack is arranged as shown in Figure 1, the plate 14 engaging upon the top of the tie, and the foot 10 engaging the side of the tie. The standard 5 rests upon the next tie and the rack bar 6 is connected with the rail through the medium of the rail engaging clamp 12. The lever-socket is operated by one workman and the rail cl i2 is tannin ulated by a second workman. The support ing device or attachment eliminates the third workman ordinarily employed to hold and support the foot of the jack. The. attache ment may be quickly and conveniently ap plied to the foot of the jack, is more reliable in operation than human agency, and permits of the jack being manipulated much.

quicker.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of myinvention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A supporting attachment to be mounted upon the foot of a j ack; used in spacing railway ties, comprising a plate, a aw carried by the plate, and a co-acting j aw adjustably con nected with the first named jaw, said jaws being adapted to engage about said foot.

2. A supporting attachment to be secured to the foot of a jack used in spacing ties, comprising a plate, a flange formed upon the plate and having one end provided with a jaw, a shank slidable upon the flange and provided at one end with a coacting jaw, said shank having a longitudinal slot, and a clamping bolt carried by the flange and op erating within the slot, said jaws engaging aboutsaid base.

3. A jack for use in spacing railway ties including a standard provided at its bottom with a flange constituting a foot; in combination with a supporting element separate from said flange and adapted to rest upon the top of the tie, and adjustable means for de tachably securing the supporting element to said flange.

4:. A jackfor use in spacing railway ties including a standard provided at its bottom with a flange constituting a foot; in combination with a supporting element separate from said flange and adapted to rest upon the top of the tie, and oppositely arranged aws secured to the supporting element and adapted to embrace said flange.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MACK F. MGLAUGHLIN. 

